About This Site
This blog is about buying, selling, and building safe & sound homes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Please make comments, ask questions, and suggest topics for making it a valuable source for everyone.
Boomerese Realty
Author Archives: S. Onder Kustu, MBA
Value of Remodeling Projects
In earlier posts I talked about the values of energy efficiency and earthquake resistance of your home. But, how about the values of remodeling projects that do not involve structural or energy-efficiency upgrades? Hanley Wood LLC has published national and … Continue reading
My Newsletter
I am developing a monthly newsletter on current real estate trends and related information. I would like my friends, clients, and followers to take a look at the current issue and send me their feedback. I would be very much interested in knowing … Continue reading
Can We Design for Tsunamis?
After writing my last blog, I was expecting someone to ask, “How can you design for a tsunami?” In California we have been designing buildings to resist earthquakes since 1930’s. Over the years our building codes have evolved and improved, … Continue reading
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Tagged Design, Earthquakes, Real Estate, Structural Engineering, Tsunamis
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Seeing, Believing, and Earthquake Preparedness
Since I started this blog about three weeks ago and began writing about earthquakes, value of earthquake resistance, and “buying, selling, and building safe & sound homes in the San Francisco Bay Area” we had two major earthquakes. The Magnitude … Continue reading
You can get $1,000-$4,000 rebate for improving energy efficiency of your home!
A new “Energy Upgrade California” program now offers rebates to home owners who improve energy efficiency of their homes. For basic improvements, the rebate is $1,000. For more extensive improvements, the rebate can be as high as $4,000. The program … Continue reading
Facebook Design Charrette
I was lucky enough to be in the same picture with Mark Zuckerberg yesterday, while participating in the Facebook Design Charrette and he dropped-by. The Charrette was organized by San Mateo Chapter of American Institute of Architects and the City of Menlo Park. Four … Continue reading
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Value of Earthquake Resistance
Foundations, walls, columns, floor and roof joists, trusses, and beams are elements that form the structural system of a building. Structural systems carry the building’s weight, as well as the weight of its contents and occupants. They also enable the … Continue reading
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Tagged Bay Area, Design, Earthquakes, Real Estate, Structural Engineering
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FACEBOOK is moving to Menlo Park
Facebook Inc. is moving its headquarters to Menlo Park, to old Sun Microsystems campus. San Mateo Chapter of AIA is holding a “design charette” on March 5 to brainstorm about the future development around the new Facebook campus. I am … Continue reading
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Energy Efficiency Label on Houses
Some builders are planning to have energy-efficiency labels on newly constructed homes, similar to miles-per-gallon stickers on cars. Also, DOE is apparently working on a system to rate energy efficiency of existing homes. With such ratings it will be a … Continue reading
New Rules for Mortgage Brokers
I think you will feel better with the new rules about working through mortgage brokers. Read here for yourself about the new rules: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/realestate/20mort.html?_r=2&ref=realestate
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